By Rubin E. Grant Richard Simmons couldn’t believe his eyes, or his ears. During a Democratic presidential debate in October, the Freedom From Religion Foundation aired a 30-second commercial on CNN that featured Ron Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan. The ad begins: “Hi, I’m Ron Reagan, an unabashed atheist, and I’m alarmed by the … [Read more...]
The Reason for the Season: Vestavia Hills’ Waters Hosts Holiday Signings of ‘Twas the Night That Began Christmas’
By Emily Williams In October of last year, Vestavia Hills’ Catherine Conrad Waters published her first children’s book ahead of the holiday season. “‘Twas the Night That Began Christmas” plays off the rhyme and verse of Clement Moore’s famous “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Rather than focusing on Saint Nicholas or the promise of presents, Waters’ book focuses on the … [Read more...]
Layers of Flour and Butter: New Bandit Patisserie, Coffee Shop and Café Opens in Homewood
By Sam Prickett According to Kristen Farmer Hall, “the Bandit journey” started in October 2013, when she and her daughters came up with the idea to bake and deliver pastries to their neighbors. “We’d ring the doorbell and run away, so we became known as ‘the Baking Bandits,’” Hall said. Now, with the just-opened Bandit Patisserie, Hall has brought her pastries out into the … [Read more...]
O Christmas Trees: Ho-Ho-Hoover Randle Event Celebrates Holidays With Tree Decorating and Helping Hoover Children in Need
By Ingrid SchnaderThirteen organizations in Hoover were invited to the first-ever Ho-Ho-Hoover Randle open house and tree decoration contest Sunday at the Hoover-Randle Home & Gardens. The Hoover-Randle group provided the trees, and the only instruction to the area organizations that decorated the trees was that each tree should tell a story about those … [Read more...]
Lending a Helping Hand: Seniors Have Spent Decades Volunteering at Brookwood Hospital
By Ingrid Schnader Behind the daily operations at Brookwood Baptist Health, there is a team of about 70 volunteers who help put a smile on each patient’s face. Denise Lambert, who took over as volunteer coordinator last year, said she is amazed by the work the volunteers do each day. “They are phenomenal,” Lambert said. “I didn’t even know some of the stuff they do every day … [Read more...]